1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices which are used to perform routine medical examinations on children. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved otoscope for performing ear examinations on children.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Otoscopes and other medical instruments have been in existence for some time. The appearance of a medical instrument, while fulfilling the function of the instrument, can also be useful in instilling psychological security in a patient. Instruments are therefore usually designed to look as professional and sanitary as possible. Adult patients are often anxious about the quality and sterility of their medical care, and the austere professional appearance of the medical instruments is useful in quieting their anxieties. Less anxious patients tend to be more cooperative during examination and treatment. Less anxious patients also have a better mental attitude toward their treatment and may heal more quickly. Due to human psychology, the physical appearance of medical instruments is a very important element of medical care.
Child patients have different anxieties than adult patients. Because children have a wider range of psychological responses to their medical treatment, instilling a good mental attitude in the patient is even more important when treating children. A child is usually very anxious about the friendliness and concern he or she will receive when being closely examined by a strange doctor. The unfamiliar environment of a hospital or other treatment facility exacerbates the child's fears. The austere appearance of the unknown medical instruments may further scare the child. The child's apprehension may hinder both treatment and recovery.
The performance of an ear examination on a child is a good example. Ear examinations are often difficult to perform because the child tends to squirm or shy away from the otoscope being used to effect the examination. It is particularly important that a child remain motionless during an ear examination because the speculum of the otoscope must be precisely positioned with respect to the child's ear canal. However, this is often difficult to accomplish, because the appearance of the otoscope makes the child uneasy.
The importance of a child's psychological security during medical treatment is well recognized. Pre-treatment hospital visits are conducted to familiarize child patients with the environment they will be treated in. The workings of stethoscopes and other medical devices are explained to a child before being used, and children are often given a chance to use an instrument themselves to see how it works. Teddy bears are often given to children when receiving treatment to further instill a sense of security. But the appearance of the instruments used during the examination has heretofore not been modified for child care. In an effort to design instruments which psychologically reassure an adult, instruments have been designed with an appearance that may psychologically threaten a child. It is clear that there is an unfulfilled need in the prior art for medical instruments which do not appear as foreign and threatening to children.